• Life,  Recipes

    Friday Favorites | Vol. 4

    March 24, 2017

    Hi friends! I wasn’t planning on writing this post because I’m going to be sharing with you another post I wrote for a different site later on, buuuut I’m really loving both writing and reading Friday Favorite posts. So I figured I would just do both posts! 😉

    Check back later on today for the link to my guest post about ways to practically cast your cares on God.

    Friday Favorites

    o n e

    I’ve been experimenting with new recipes this week and this one was so. good. It was so healthy too. It was actually served with chicken as well, but I snapped this picture before putting the cooked chicken back into the pan because the colors just looked so pretty. The recipe can be found here. 🙂

    This was the first time I cooked gnocchi and they are delicious! Especially paired with the tomatoes, they are seriously just too good.

    t w o

    I’ve been doing so much crocheting this week, it’s been great. This blanket that I’m working on here is almost done! I’m actually headed to Michael’s after I finish this post to buy more yarn for it. I’m going to be selling it on Etsy as soon as I get everything up and running. Don’t miss the launch date! I’d love to have you along for the journey, so follow me on my Etsy Instagram (@ashleyzincrochets). 🙂

    t h r e e

    I told ya I’ve been experimenting with different recipes this week. 😉 This one was honestly so good too. It’s a great swap for a high calorie side dish. The insides are filled with heavy cream, cheese, pepper, garlic, and a crumpled bouillon cube! So clever. This recipe can be found here.

    f o u r

    I recapped our honeymoon this week and it made me want to hop on a plane straight to the Caribbean so badly! That’s what living in New Jersey in March will do to you though, haha. I am so ready for warmer weather and beach days!

    Tommy and I are making the drive from New Jersey to Florida two weeks from today though! I can’t complain too much about the weather since I’ll be in sunny Florida soon enough. 🙂

    f i v e

    I revamped my Pinterest account this week and I’d love it if you would follow along with me. I have created tons of fun boards that make me really excited – from Fitness Routines to Ways to Use Essential Oils. I also pin the recipes that I use throughout the week as well. I’m confident you can find something that will be useful. Leave a comment with your blog and Pinterest and I’d love to follow along with you too. 🙂

    Today I’m linking up with these wonderful ladies!

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  • Life,  Recipes

    Recipe Roundup: Quick + Easy Dinners | February 2017

    February 27, 2017

    It is currently 70+ degrees right now in New Jersey in FEBRUARY so you better believe I’m writing this post outside on my patio. I also just went for a nice walk around our apartment buildings because I feel like I haven’t been able to really get out and move in months. But anyway, that really doesn’t have anything to do with what I’m writing about, I just had to let you guys know. 🙂

    What I actually wanted to write about, that I mentioned in my last post, Friday Favorites, was a recipe roundup of all the yummy dinners that we’ve been eating over the past few months. I’m always looking for new dinner recipes so I figured there more than likely is others too so hopefully this will be helpful. (PS. Black is not a good color to wear when sitting out in the sun!!) Also, there aren’t quite as many recipes included as I originally wanted, but I plan to better document our dinners going forward and plan to have more in my next post. I get a lot of these recipes off of Pinterest and have a few Recipe boards, so if you like these and are interested you can follow me on Pinterest here. 🙂

    O N E

    Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

    This soup was perfect. It was delicious and super easy to make. It also only took about 30-45 mins. It has cheese tortellini and sun-dried tomatoes in it. I also made some garlic bread, which was absolutely perfect to dip into the soup. Definitely one of my favorites soups I’ve found.

    Source: https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/171098794/creamy-tomato-tortellini-soup/

    T W O

    Teriyaki Chicken

    This was another super easy recipe to make that took no time at all. Usually when recipes that say 30 mins to make, it usually takes me anywhere from 45-60 mins (maybe I’m a slow cooker, I don’t know haha) but this one truly only takes 30 mins to make. My husband actually made it both times and it comes out so, so yummy.

    Source: http://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/quick-teriyaki-chicken-rice-bowls-recipe-card/

    T H R E E

    Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken

    We used whole grain linguini to make this recipe just a little bit healthier. I also sent this recipe to my cousin about a month ago and her and her family loved it as well. This recipe also uses sun-dried tomatoes so it’s helpful to make this one within the same week or two as the soup so that you can get your money’s worth for those expensive tomatoes! (That’s what I did at least 😉 ). Oh and I also doubled the sauce because I just really like extra sauce on everything.

    Source: http://yummlydishes.com/creamy-tuscan-garlic-chicken/

    F O U R

    Cheeseburgers with Sautéed Onions + Cheesy Steak Fries + Asparagus

      1. To cook the burger, I used a skillet to cook them and added onion powder, garlic powder, and Emeril’s Bam! Burger Seasoning (affiliate link) on both sides.
      2. To cook the onions, I sliced them and sautéed in olive oil + salt and pepper. Then when they’re almost done I add about 1-2 tbsp of Marsala Cooking Wine (also an affiliate link).
      3. To cook the fries, I sliced them into wedges then lined a cooking sheet with foil and placed them on the sheet. Then I drizzled olive oil over them, and added salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to both sides of the potatoes. I cooked them for about 30 mins. About 1-2 mins before they were done (or when they are just turning brown), I added some mozzarella and cheddar cheese on top. They were a bit of a splurge but so worth it!
      4. To cook the asparagus, I followed this recipe.

    These were all recipes that we liked so much that we have made more than once. I hope they give you some ideas and are helpful for those nights where you just need something super quick but also super yummy! 😉 All of these recipes make quite a bit of food or are easily able to be doubled so are good for leftover days too! Let me know if you try any and what you think!

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  • Recipes

    Healthy Eats: Acai Bowl

    January 9, 2017

    Hi friends! I wanted to start a little series here on healthy eating. I am always trying to find easy, healthy recipes to make. I’m not at the skill level to make my own recipes, but I hope I will get there eventually! This post does not contain any affiliate links, I just wanted to share a recipe that I find really yummy and hope you will too. 🙂 

    The first recipe I want to highlight is an Acai Bowl! I’m sure you’ve heard of them before. They have gotten so popular in the last year. They also remind me of summer and I definitely need that reminder on a snowy day like today. I am currently drinking mine pretending I’m on a beach!! I have adapted this recipe from my all time favorite baker. Her name is Rachel, I have linked back to her post at the end. I have also done one other recipe adaption from her website, (although that one is NOT healthy at all) it is SO delicious and my husband and I’s favorite desert.

    Acai-Bowl.jpg
    picture source

    What you will need for the Acai Bowl:

    • 1/2 C of blueberries
    • 1/2 C of strawberries
    • 1/2 C of milk (I use almond milk if I have it, if not then whole milk.)
    • 1 Tbsp acai powder
    • 1-1/2 bananas
    • 2-3 Tbsp of old fashioned oats
    • 1 tsp of peanut butter (optional)
    • granola for toppings

    Use a blender to combine all ingredients and top with whatever toppings you find most yummy. The other half of the banana works great and I usually use granola (as listed). You can also use chocolate chips, any other type of fruit, or even nuts.

    Have you ever had an acai bowl before? How did you like it?
    What is your favorite breakfast?

    Adapted from: http://www.bakerita.com/acai-bowl 

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  • Recipes

    #nationalsmoresday // what’s going on in my life currently

    August 12, 2015

    Hi guys! So for the past two days I have wanted to write this post but am not entirely sure what has kept me from doing so to be completely honest lol

    Some fun facts about the past week:

    1. I’m blogging today from my new Macbook Pro! 🙂 woohoo, it’s awesome and I love it. I got it last Thursday I think.
    2. On Monday, August 10 it was National S’mores Day and I really wanted to celebrate by posting my favorite S’mores recipe that Tommy and I make all the time, but instead we just celebrated by making and eating it (sorry not sorry).
    3. I’ve been a little stressed out over small things in my life and I feel like that’s why I haven’t had the energy to actually write the blog post that I’ve wanted to. I almost put it off again today but reminded myself that writing helps me to process things and makes me feel better. So I figured I’d share with you guys one of my current stressors. When Tommy and I were driving up to Lake George about a month ago I got a ticket for failure to move over. There was a cop on the shoulder who had someone pulled over and there’s a law in New York (and apparently New Jersey too) that you need to yield to the cop and move over to the left lane or slow down. I didn’t know that this was a law and the cop pulled me over and gave me a ticket (I did slow down). But anyway, tomorrow I am driving an hour and a half to Athens to fight the ticket because if I don’t it will be points on my license and I really don’t want that. I’d appreciate your prayers for the situation if anyone actually happens to read all this haha

    Okay so on to the fun stuff 🙂

    I really wanted to share with you guys the most amazingly, awesomely, delicious dessert you will ever taste – that is if you’re as much of a chocolate enthusiast as I am (that’s what Tommy called me today so I have decided to adopt the phrase). But really, he loves it as much as I do.

    Smores Brownies
    How To Make The Most Amazing S’mores Brownies Ever*
    Ingredients:
    For the graham crust
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
    For the brownies
    • 10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
    • 1¼ cups (8.75 oz) granulated sugar
    • ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons (2.5 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 large eggs
    • ½ cup (2.25 oz) all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup milk chocolate chips
    • ½ cup of dark chocolate chips
    • ½ cup marshmallow fluff
    • 1 cup mini marshmallows
    Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray; set pan aside.
    2. In a bowl, combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press into prepared pan. Set aside.
    3. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, sugar, cocoa, salt, and heat on high power to melt, about 45 seconds. Stop to stir, and heat in 10-second bursts until mixture has melted and can be stirred smooth (mine took 45 seconds + 15 seconds). Batter will be very granular.
    4. Add the vanilla, eggs, and stir vigorously until batter is thick, shiny, and well blended. Add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
    5. Dollop half of the marshmallow fluff all over the batter and swirl slightly with a knife. Spread the remaining batter carefully over the marshmallow fluff. Repeat with the remaining marshmallow on top of the brownie batter. With a knife, carefully swirl the marshmallow fluff slightly into the batter. Don’t swirl too much!
    6. Bake until a toothpick in the center emerges slightly moist with batter, about 25 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 375°F. Top with mini marshmallows and bake for another 3-5 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly browned on top.

    *Adapted from http://www.bakerita.com/smores-brownies recipe. The picture is also off her website. I took one of my own but I just couldn’t resist using hers cause it was much better. The girl who runs this website is a baking genius, I have made a lot of her recipes and they all have turned out great. She’s especially good for patriotic ones.

    So there you have it. Tommy and I make this quite often cause we love it so much. When we eat the leftovers we microwave them so that the chocolate melts again, it’s delicious. If anyone ends up trying it let me know how you like it!

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